Hurricane Helene death toll soars in US as response to storm turns political 

• Hurricane Helene death toll soars in US – at least 93 dead across six states
• Hurricane Helene unleashed devastating winds and torrential rain across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee
• Homes destroyed, roads submerged, and millions left without power
• Biden, Harris and Trump looking to capitalise on the devastation ahead of the Nov election

Hurricane Helene death toll soars in US as response to storm turns political 

The recent hurricane response has taken on a notable political angle, with President Joe Biden, along with his potential successors—Kamala Harris and Donald Trump—planning visits to some of the hardest-hit areas. Many of these locations are in key battleground states ahead of the upcoming November elections.

Hurricane Helene unleashed devastating winds and torrential rain across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The impact has been severe: homes destroyed, roads submerged, and millions left without power.

The extreme weather has claimed at least 93 lives, with casualties reported across several states: 37 in North Carolina, 25 in South Carolina, 17 in Georgia, 11 in Florida, two in Tennessee, and one in Virginia. Local authorities have indicated that this number may rise as rescue efforts continue. Flood warnings are still in place in parts of western North Carolina, raising concerns about potential dam failures.

According to Ken Graham, director of the National Weather Service, conditions should begin to improve by around Tuesday. However, as of Sunday, nearly 2.2 million households were still without power, as reported by poweroutage.us. Crews are working tirelessly to restore electricity, but Department of Energy official Matt Targuagno cautioned that the recovery process will be complex and could take several days.

The American Red Cross is actively providing shelter for thousands seeking assistance, according to official Jennifer Pipa.

‘Conditions remain perilous’

Hurricane Helene made landfall on Florida’s northern Gulf coast as a powerful Category Four storm, bringing winds of 140 mph (225 km/h). Even as Helene weakened, it left a path of destruction in its wake. North Carolina experienced some of the worst flooding, prompting Governor Roy Cooper to announce that rescuers are airlifting supplies to areas where roads have been severely damaged or submerged.

William Ray, director of the state’s emergency management department, has warned that conditions remain perilous. Hundreds of roads are closed, and several bridges have been washed away. In North Carolina and Tennessee, four major interstate highways are closed, and numerous bridges are still out of service, according to Kristin White from the US Department of Transportation. Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina collectively report over 100 road closures.

In response to the disaster, Trump plans to visit Valdosta on Monday for a briefing, while Biden is set to travel to the affected areas this week, timing his visit to avoid disrupting emergency response operations. Harris is also expected to follow suit.